


Return to Hawkins

by My_Evak_Heart



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 12:29:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20064043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Evak_Heart/pseuds/My_Evak_Heart
Summary: Three years after Jane moved to Arizona, she return to Hawkins and things are not the way she left themP.S. A second part is in the way!





	Return to Hawkins

''I think you're in the wrong state.''

The brunette jumped at the unexpected voice and whirled around, a wide grin forming on her lips when seeing her step-brother standing in the doorway of her bedroom. ''Will!'' She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him, not having seen him since Christmas break.

''So, you're back for good now?'' he asked, pulling away from the hug.

She nodded, still holding the striped shirt she was putting away. ''Yeah. Dad is sick of Arizona...and he miss your mom. He won't say it but I know he does.''

''Hopper has never been open about his feelings. I don't know how Mom managed to marry him.''

Jane laughed and returned to unpacking her stuff while catching up with Will. She didn't have a lot of boxes, not being one to hold on to silly things, but there was quite a lot of clothes and nail polishes - she was obsessed with painting her nails.

.

When her father had announced that they were moving back to Hawkins, Jane was _very_ excited. She had called Maxine to tell her the news the second Hopper had told her about the move. Arizona was nice, it was warm and less gloomy than Hawkins, but Hawkins was _home_. It was where all of her best friends resided, too.

The day of her return, Will had invited all their friends over at the Byers-Hoppers household for a celebratory reunion in honor of Jane's big return but, when their friends arrived, something was off.

Max arrived first and Jane threw herself at the redhead, the two girls jumping and squealing in excitement. Will rolled his eyes at their dramatic behavior and opened the door to Dustin and Lucas who showed up a few minute after.

''Hey, you have teeth!'' Jane pointed as she went to hug Dustin.

He nodded, flashing his pearly whites - he was _so_ proud of his teeth.

She smiled and turned to Lucas, only now realizing that something was missing. ''Where's Mike?'' she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

The room tensed and it felt as if everyone were walking on eggshells.

Lucas glanced at Will who looked down, knowing something that she didn't. ''Erm, we don't hang out with him anymore,'' the older one replied, staying brief on the subject.

''Why?''

''Mike is not the same person he was when you left Hawkins. He...changed a lot.''

.

The first time Jane saw Mike again, it was at the police station.

Out of all the places she could've seen him at, the police station was the least expected. Back in the days, it wasn't unusual for them to go to the police station. She and Mike would often go see Hopper in his office and ask for coins for ice cream or a ride home when it was raining.

But, this was different: Mike was sitting on one of the chairs, one of his wrist handcuffed to a chair.

Jane walked inside the police station and greeted Mrs. Pearson, asking if her father was here.

''He's in his office. But, he's busy. You should wait here, I'll let him know you're here,'' the woman said, raising from her seat and heading down the hall where Hopper's office was.

Jane nodded and went to take a seat by the window when a familiar face caught her attention. She almost didn't recognize him under all those curls.

''Mike?'' Her voice was almost a whisper, but the boy's head jerked up at the call of his name. His dark eyes found her's, only, this time, there was large bags under them and his skin was paler than Jane remembered.

Mike didn't say anything, he just stared at her.

Was this what Lucas meant when he said that Mike had changed? His physical appearance? No, it couldn't be only that. Dustin, Lucas, Will and Mike had been friends since birth, Mike's new look couldn't have been the factor that caused the ending of their friendship. Something big must've happened for them to not be friends anymore. But, what?

Jane had tried to ask Will - who always tell her everything -, but he had _refused_ to talk about Mike. It was as if they had all made a pact and declared that the Mike subject was forbidden among the party. This secrecy was really getting on her nerves.

Maybe _Mike _would tell her? He was there and, given by the handcuffs that he was attached to, he wouldn't be going anywhere.

Her plan sounded great, but before she could get to Mike, Mrs. Pearson returned from the hall and told Jane that her father would be free after he's finished with the current report.

The brunette sighed in defeat, knowing that she wouldn't be able to talk to Mike with Mrs. Pearson around. Her father didn't mind her coming to the station, but he had been very clear about no chatting to the people who were arrested - Mike included. She's gonna have to find another way to get her answers.

.

Backpack on her shoulder, Jane walked down the street of Hawkins, avoiding puddles on the sidewalk. Max had called her an hour ago to invite her over for a sleepover - just like the old days. Even if they liked hanging out with the boys, girls night were the _best_. They would laze around, read comics and talk about boys.

On her way to Max's, Jane decided to stop to the store to grab some snacks for the night, knowing that Max would be out of snacks and, what's a sleepover without snacks? She pushed the door open and went straight to the snack aisle, picking up chips and candies when a familiar mop of hair caught her eyes.

She got closer, furrowing her eyebrows when seeing her old best friend sneaking liquor inside his jacket. ''What are you doing?''

Mike turned his head around, relief washing over his face when he saw Jane instead of a store's employee.

''Getting arrested once wasn't enough? Do you love my dad that much?''

''Jane, I... Hi.'' He scratched the back of his head, glancing around nervously.

Jane cocked an eyebrow. ''So, you're a _thief_, now?''

''What? Erm...no. I mean- It's not what it looks like,'' he tried to justify but Jane wasn't an idiot.

''Oh, really?'' Jane stepped forward, getting closer to Mike, nodding at his jacket. ''How are you going to pay for that liquor you hid inside your jacket then? I might have left Hawkins for three years but law hasn't changed and you're not quite 21 yet.''

Mike glanced behind her, seeing his friends getting impatient outside the store. ''I...I have to go. My friends are waiting outside.'' He awkwardly touched her hand, almost trying to intertwine their fingers but not. ''It was nice seeing you, Jane. _I missed you_.'' His dark eyes locked with hers and Mike slipped out of the aisle, his bottle of alcohol perfectly nested inside his jacket.

Jane watched as Mike left the store without paying, the employee not batting an eyelash as he wished Mike a monotonous toned good night.

.

''I saw Mike tonight.''

Max stopped in mid motion, her hand full of chips. ''_What_?!''

''He was at the store when I went to get snacks.'' She played with the hem of her tee shirt, avoiding the redhead's eyes. ''He...he said he missed me.''

A part of Jane regretted telling Max. She felt like maybe she should've kept this part between her and Mike.

''Whatever he tells you, stay away from him. He's full of shit and will get you in trouble. Like, _real _trouble.''

.

''How is _The Shining_ better than _Nightmare on Elm Street_? It's not even a horror movie!'' Lucas argued, pursuing his heated debate with Dustin.

''It is! It's originally written by Stephen King who is the master of horror novels.''

''The _master_,'' Lucas mocked. ''He maybe writes great books but _Nightmare on Elm Street_ was scarier.''

''_The Shining _was fucking awesome. That blood scene at the end was brilliantly executed.''

''Can you two stop? You're giving me a headache...'' Max complained with a sigh, annoyed by the two's bickerings. They never stops. ''And, _The Exorcist _was way scarier that those two. People of the crew died following the filming and the sets caught on fire. Some of the crew members thought the set was cursed. They even handed barf-bags at the theaters to everyone who bought a ticket.''

Jane wrinkled her nose. ''Ew, that's disgusting. Remind me to _never_ watch that movie.''

Max laughed.

Unlike the rest of the party, Jane wasn't a fan of horror movies. She still went with everyone to the theater or participated to horror movies marathons in the Wheeler's basement, but she couldn't understand how it being scared could be fun. She had screamed _so_ loud during _Nightmare on Elm Street_; Will and Lucas were still making fun of her about that night.

Standing from the couch, Max stretched, having been seating there for over two hours, announcing the party that she had to leave. It was almost 8pm which was early for a summer night but her parents had set her curfew sooner due to the big scratch she made on their car with her bike.

Lucas went with Max, walking her home, leaving Jane, Dustin and Will in the Byers-Hopper's living room. They put on a movie - not a horror one - and Will fell asleep ten minutes into it. While her step brother was asleep, Jane and Dustin teamed up to throw kernels at him but the brunet didn't react, which was even funnier.

Jane covered her mouth with a cushion from the couch, muffling her laugh as Dustin threw another kernel at Will, hitting him square on the nose. Will scrunched his nose at the impact but didn't wake up. ''I told you, he's a heavy sleeper,'' the curly haired one said, a grin on his lips.

''Okay, I think that's enough. As fun as this is, Joyce won't be happy if there's kernels everywhere on the floor.''

Dustin agreed and went back to the movie, watching as the members of the Breakfast Club were running around school to avoid Mr. Vernon.

Jane cleared her throat nervously, it was no or never. ''Erm, Dustin? Can we talk?''

He furrowed his eyebrows, surprised. It was rare that Jane came to Dustin to talk, talk. She always went to Max for that so Dustin was a bit confused. ''Sure. What about?'' he replied, a bit unsettled.

''Since I came back, there's something I've wanted to talk about: Mike. I know you're all hiding something from me and I'm tired of being forced in the unknown. I know I've been absent for three years but I'm still a part of the party and Mike was my friend too. I deserve to know what happened.''

As much as Dustin wanted to avoid the Mike subject, he knew that she was right. It was unfair to avoid the subject and keep her from the truth.

Dustin glanced at Will who was sleeping soundly. ''Alright. I'll tell you. But, you have to promise to not tell Will that I told you. He wouldn't like that.''

Jane furrowed her eyebrows, not quite understanding why Will would be mad, but nodded.

''Mike's sister, Holly, had an accident one year ago. A car hit her and she died. After her death, their parents divorced and...Mike didn't take it well. He started rebelling against his parents and hanging out with a new crowd. Over the summer, one of the guy he's friends with jumped Will. They were waiting for him at the arcade and...he got hurt pretty bad. We told Mike about the attack, thinking he would side with Will and us, but he stayed with his new friends. Since then, we don't speak to him.''

Mike's betrayal took Jane by surprise. She was utterly shocked. The friendship between the two felt indestructible - even when Jane 'stole' Mike from Will. They had spent half of their primary school being each other's first and only friend. Mike knew about Will's bullies, he too had been a victim of Troy and James's nasty words a couple years prior. She couldn't understand how he could've sided with the ones who physically injured his best friend.

Losing a friendship like that must've been emotionally difficult for Will. Mike was his confident, his rock when things were tough. Sure, he had Lucas and Dustin - or even Max although she was more Jane's best friend - but it wasn't the same.

Jane felt terribly sad for Will. She glanced at her step brother and took note to give him a hug when he'll wake up. He'll probably be very confused about the sudden affection, but Jane was a hugger. It'll pass.

''When Mike went through grief with his sister and even his parents's divorce, we were all there for him. But, Mike couldn't return the favor and cut ties with Will when he needed his best friend the most,'' Dustin added, eyes following Jane's. ''I'm telling you, he isn't the same Mike he was when you left Hawkins.''

.

Two weeks before school started, Jane was biking home from Max's and came across Mike. He was walking on main street, wearing a washed out _Guns N' Roses_ shirt and a flannel as he smoked his cigarette. Although he was a few meters away, Jane could smell the nicotine.

At first, she thought he hadn't seen her, but he did.

''Jane? You're a little past your curfew, Hopper knows you're out this late?'' he said in an almost mocking tone as he stubbed his cigarette on the ground, crushing it with his sole.

She rolled her eyes. ''Yes. I was at Max's.''

''Why did you come back? You could've turned things around for yourself and had a better life. You didn't have to come back to this shithole town.''

''Dad wanted to, _I_ wanted to.''

Mike laughed. ''What for? This is a loser town, Jane. You deserve better.''

''Maybe, but I missed my friends. You know, the ones you used to hang out with and ditched.'' She took a step closer, jaw clenching and holding her emotions. ''Will and you have been friends since primary school, why didn't you stand up for him?''

''Things are _complicated_, Jane.''

Jane shook her head and scoffed. ''Complicated is a word used to camouflage your wrongs. Don't bulshit me.''

Mike groaned frustratedly, tired of passing for the liar. ''I'm _not_ trying to camouflage anything! If someone is not telling the full truth, it's Will.''

_Will_? Jane furrowed her eyebrows. ''What? What are you talking about? Quit blaming others for your acts, Mike!''

''I'm not blaming anyone!'' he yelled back. ''I'm just saying, Will doesn't know everything and, clearly, he hasn't told you the whole truth. A fews days prior to Will's incident at the arcade, he kissed me nearby the woods...and Richard saw. I told Will I wasn't into him like that and it was awkward and maybe Will got scared I would tell everyone he threw himself at me or something. I don't know. The real reason why I stopped hanging out with the party is because Richard threatened to tell everyone about Will if I kept seeing him or Lucas or Dustin. I knew about Will's historic with bullying, I wasn't going to make his life a living hell because Richard told the whole school that Will is gay.''

While there was a possibility that Mike had invented this whole story, Jane believed him. Will had been awfully distant since last summer and now, it all made sense. When the Byers came to Arizona for Thanksgiving, the once loud kid who always had a grin on his face wasn't the one who had showed up on their doorstep. He had been replaced by a much quieter and reserved version.

Jane had known for a moment about her step brother's sexuality, but ignored his crush on Mike. Will probably didn't want _anyone_ to know. It was one thing to be gay; it was another to be in love with your childhood best friend. Her heart ached for both of them. Neither were in a good situation. Will must've been feeling so embarrassed.

And Mike.

God, Mike. He had been forced to deal with two important losses in so little time. First, Holly and then his best friend. For his sister, he had a good support system - all his friends were there - , but for Will, he had been all alone.

Jane's heart felt for Mike. She almost wanted to reach out and hug the tall one, but she refrained, feared he would reject her or push her away.

''So, yes, I might've lost a best friend and I know I've hurt him, but I did it to _protect_ him.''

''You should tell Will, I'm sure he'd understand and-''

Mike raised his hands, exasperated.

She could be so naive sometimes. In Jane's world, nothing was complicated and everything and everyone had a happy ending. Her neverending kindness and blinded her to the cruel reality of today's world where everything wasn't rainbows and sprinkles. She needed to realize that the real world is cruel and things can't always go right. On the contrary, things _never_ go right.

Jane was convinced that if Mike explained the situation to Will, that everything could go back to how it used to be and they could all be friends again, but it couldn't. _Nothing_ could ever be how it used to be. It was too late. Things had been said and things have been done and they were irrevocable.

Except, Jane couldn't see that.

And, while Mike wanted to laugh at her for being so stupid, he wished things could be like that.

''I _can't_, Jane! Richard's ultimatum still stands,'' he explained. ''Will doesn't deserve to be outed like that. Some people are okay with gays, but not everyone. In case you don't remember, this is Hawkins. Everyone will know under a week and I can't risk any more bullying coming his way. Homosexuality is still a very taboo subject and I'd feel so guilty if something was to happen to him because of me.''

''Mike...'' she started but he shook his head, stepping back and away from Jane.

''You should go. It's getting late and Hopper will start a search party if you're not home before curfew.''

.

Since that night, Jane thought about Mike every night before going to bed. She couldn't stop thinking about how conflicting the situation was. Her good heart wanted to renew a friendship so it could all be like before, but knew that it couldn't happen without casualties.

Should she tell Will the truth and betray Mike's trust? He didn't explicitly say that it was a secret but she figured it was since no one knew beside him - and Richard, by default. Was Will strong enough to go through coming out?

Hopper's voice pulled the teenage girl out of her thoughts.

''You've been awfully quiet lately, what's gotten into you?'' he asked after picking Jane up from the movie theater.

Jane cocked an eyebrows, glancing at her dad. ''Uh?''

''And you're not even listening to me...'' The police chief sighed. ''I said: you've been quieter than usual. Is everything okay?''

She gave him a shrug, a part of her not wanting to bring anything up, afraid that he'd overreact and start yelling in true Jim Hopper fashion, but, on the other hand, he was the only one she could talk about this to.

Jane took a deep breath and took the plunge. At least they were on the road, he couldn't make a scene. ''If a friend told me something that another friend doesn't, should I tell them even if it could make his life really bad? But, if I tell him, he'd also be really happy because he'd have a friend back and-'' 

Confusion flashed in Hopper's face, red flags flying on his shoulders. He turned to his daughter in the passenger seat. ''Quit turning around the pot and being cryptic and just tell your old dad what's going on, will you? I'm too old for these guessing games.''

Jane bit her lip nervously. ''I spoke to Mike the other day.''

Hopper's hands immediately crisped on the steering wheel, face clenching. ''You what?!'' he boomed, making the young girl jump a little. ''Mike as in _Mike Wheeler_?'' Jane nodded and Hopper was struggling to keep his calm. ''I don't want you to see him again, this kid is trouble. Serious trouble.''

Honestly, Jane was expecting no less from her dad. She knew he would react like this, but she had to take her chances. Mike and Will were both dear to her heart and she just wanted them to make up.

''Why? It's not the first time I've seen him since we got back.''

Hopper shook his head, he couldn't believe that he had to deal with this Mike kid again. ''He was in my office for _vandalism_ and_ thieving_ less than a month ago. He's not a good frequentation for you.''

Jane shook her head in frustration, just as stubborn as her father. ''There is a reason behind his actions. Mike is hurting right now and no one wants to listen to him!'' Hopper was about to interrupt her again but Jane stopped him. ''Why do you all say he's changed and turned bad instead of trying to understand him? If you were in his shoes, maybe you'd change too.''

Since they were kids, since Mike Wheeler came into Jane's life, Hopper has had a tooth against him. He was always too close to his precious daughter and Jace was too receptive to him. They also spent way too much time together. The only thing Hopper liked about Mike was that he was acting very protective toward Jane which made the man less worried in a way. He still didn't like Mike though.

When he got a job offer in Arizona, all of Hopper's problems were solved!

And now, they're back...

Jim shook his head. ''That kid is nothing but trouble, I don't know and don't care what he is going through. All I want is for him _out_ of your life, Jane. That was our deal when we decided to come back, you were supposed to stay _out_ of trouble!'' he said, his voice raising at the end.

Being a dad to a daughter is so exasperating. It's even more exhausting than being police chief! Some will call Jim paranoid but you can never be too careful. People are so ill intentioned.

Her eyes were now filling with tears through her anger. ''Will you stop yelling and hear me out? He is hurting, Dad,'' she said, her bottom lip quivering.

Hopper cared for her, but he was one to yell before thinking and always acted impulsive when it come to protecting his daughter.

''He acts different with me. It's like he's the old Mike,'' Jane added.

For a fraction of second, Hopper almost let his daughter's sad face change his mind. He hated to see her sad but he was trying to protect her. Jane just couldn't understand that. She wasn't in his shoes. ''Boys like him aren't nice for no reason. You may think you've made a connection with him again, but he can't be trusted, especially not with what I've seen from him recently. Stay _away_ from that Wheeler boy, Jane. You hear me?'' His voice was firm but calmer.

Jane sighed, pressing her forehead cold glass of the window. ''Yes, Dad.''

.

A knock against the glass of her window stirred Jane from her sleep, startling her. She had just drifted off a couple minutes ago, the Wonder Woman comic she had read before bed still on her nightstand. Blinking awake, she sat up and got out of bed, carefully pulling her curtain to check what was making this noise.

The brunette rubbed her sleepy eyes. ''Mike? What are you doing here?'' Jane opened her window, greeting her impromptu nightly visitor.

''Sorry to bother you so late but...can I come in?''

She glanced back at the alarm on her nightstand. ''It's_ 1am_.''

Mike rubbed his face, a little embarrassed. ''I know. I just- Can I crash here for the night? I would go home but I was out with friends and, if my mom sees me like this...''

A strong and familiar scent filled Jane's lungs. She had smelt it on her dad a lot over the past few years. ''Did you...drink? You smell like alcohol.''

''Yeah... That's kind of why I can't go home. My mom can't know that I drank. I told her I would stop, but I didn't.''

If Mike had knocked on Will's window, he would've let him outside without hesitation. But, he came to Jane's. She couldn't leave him with his problems, she couldn't leave him outside - even on a summer night. ''Just for the night. And, be quiet,'' the brunette warned, insisting on her words.

If Hopper knew a boy was in her room at night - especially Mike Wheeler -, he wouldn't hesitate to chase him out with his gun, as extreme and dramatic as it sounds.

While Mike got inside, Jane crossed her legs, feeling suddenly underdressed in her tee shirt and small shorts. She had worn these type of pajama plenty of times when they were kids, but Jane was older and she had curves now - barely there, but still very present in her thin clothes.

Mike took off his shoes, his battered Adidas looking like they had seen better days. Jane glanced around her room, trying to find something she could use to make a bed for Mike but, before she could grab a spare blanket, the raven haired boy was spread on her bed, face pressed on her fluffy baby pink blankie. He looked so cute.

''Hey,'' she hissed, shaking Mike's shoulder to prevent him from falling asleep. ''Mike, you can't sleep there. Not in my bed. If Dad wakes up and see-''

The older one rolled on his back, sighing. ''He won't. I'll be gone before he wakes up.'' Mike paused, glancing at Jane and flashing her a small smile. ''Promise.''

Jane didn't feel like arguing over sleeping arrangements so she let it go and joined Mike on the bed, sitting as far from him as possible.

''Why are you staying so far away? I don't bite, you know,'' he joked, chuckling over his own joke, the alcohol in his blood making his joke sound funnier.

Jane rolled her eyes and scooted closer but kept a fair distance. ''Why did you drink?''

The question was delicate and Jane was almost afraid of Mike's answer. She never had a taste of alcohol - or even a sip of beer - before but, she knew one must have a motive to binge drink. At least, Hopper did.

Mike pulled his eyebrows. ''Since when do we need a reason to drink?''

Deciding to not push, Jane lowered her eyes, not knowing what to say or where to move the conversation next. Why wasn't she more like Dustin or Lucas? They _always _had something to say - even if it was stupid. At least, it was entertaining.

A few minutes passed by and silence filled the air. It was unlike Mike to not speak, maybe he was asleep?

''I lied,'' Mike said, breaking the silence. He could feel his own guilt building up in the pit of his stomach and he just couldn't stand lying to Jane. He could lie to anyone, but not her. ''I drink because nothing is okay...everything fell apart.''

A noise left his mouth, catching Jane's attention, sounding almost like a drunken whimper. She sat up and leaned over to Mike, on the verge of pulling him in her arms. She hated seeing him like this, so sad and defeated.

''And I'm so fucking lonely. I don't have anyone and my friends are shitty and I miss my sister and I miss you...all.''

For a fraction of second, she almost thought he had said that he missed her but, Mike meant that he missed the whole party - which made Jane's heart pinch. Even though he had said it at the store, a part of her was hoping to hear it again. It gave her hope that the old Mike was still there despite his new attitude and look.

Jane couldn't hold back anymore as she watched Mike who was back to laying on his stomach, face pressed into her blanket. He looked so small and vulnerable despite being six feet tall. She wrapped her arms around him, whispering quietly. ''You're not alone, you'll _always_ have me regardless of what anyone says. I'm here Mike, always, I _promise_.''

Mike didn't hesitate to squeeze Jane back, his large hands covering her forearms and wrists as they hugged in a weird position. After a few seconds, Jane realized that Mike's hold had loosened and his breathing had evened out: he was fast asleep.

She pulled back, shaking him a awake but the curly haired one wasn't budging. ''Mike?''

Sighing in defeat, she concluded that Mike wouldn't wake up and would have to sleep there. A part of Jane was iffy about sleeping so close to Mike, but she had also missed sharing a bed with her old best friend. Turning off the small lamp, Jane joined Mike on the bed, this time laying down beside him. She hadn't been this close to him in so long. She had missed this. She had missed him. Jane pulled the floral comforter over her small body, Mike's scent filling her nose.

She smiled and caressed Mike's hair, pushing pieces away from his face. ''Good night, Mike.'' The words left her lips easily, just like old times.

.

The following morning, Joyce was reading a book in the living room when Jane emerged from her room, yawning and still dressed in her night clothes. She had been sad to wake up without Mike. Despite how sour things could've turned if he had stayed, Jane would've liked to wake up beside him.

''Morning, Miss. Or, should I say, afternoon,'' Joyce teased, lifting her eyes from her book.

Jane smiled down, joining her step mom in the living area, not hungry yet. She shrugged nonchalantly. ''I was really tired.'' She looked around, not seeing any of the boys. ''Where's Dad? And Will?'' she asked, taking a seat on her dad's armchair. It was old and unsteady and had crumbs in the cracks, but Hopper had thoroughly warned Joyce to not throw it away.

''Hopper had to go back to the station for some work and Will went out a little bit ago. I think he went swimming with Dustin and Lucas. Boys day, apparently,'' she explained, using quotes mark with her hands.

The teenage girl nodded and reached for the television remote, turning the device on where an episode of _Full House_ was currently playing. She might call Max later to get ice cream and maybe go shopping. School would start soon and Jane couldn't trust her dad to buy her cool clothes. Unless you think baggy tees and flannels are cool.

Joyce watched the brunette from the corner of her eyes, biting her lip in hesitation. She had grown quite a lot since she had left Hawkins with Hopper a few years ago, she wasn't a little girl anymore. She will soon be in her Junior year and, even if they didn't have to deal with boys trouble before, a conversation was to be had. 

But, Joyce was Jane's mother figure, she wasn't her blood daughter and she wasn't certain if was right to have this conversation with Jane. Hopper should be the one having this boys-talk with Jane, but, knowing him, he wouldn't choose the right words and what should've been a father-daughter conversation would easily blow up in a quarrel.

''Erm, Jane, darling, can we talk?''

It would be her first time having this kind of conversation, having been caught up in divorce paper during Jonathan's time and girls not being Will's priority, and Joyce was nervous.

Jane shrugged, glancing at Joyce. ''I guess.''

''This might not be the kind of conversation you'd want to have on a Thursday afternoon but, some things needs to be said. Things concerning...boys. Specifically Mike. I know you two were close before you left town and, now that you're back, I was wondering if you had seen him recently?''

Jane stilled at the mention of Mike. Did Joyce know that he had spent the night over? If she mention it to her dad...

''I'm not going to go all Jim Hopper on you, if that's what you're worried about,'' Joyce reassured the young girl, making allusion to Jim's overreactions.

Biting her lip, Jane hesitated. She wanted to trust Joyce, but was afraid she'd tell on her to Hopper. ''I saw him a couple times,'' she replied. ''Dad wasn't happy about it.''

Joyce smiled sympathetically. ''From a parent's point of view, I can understand why your dad wants you to stay away from Mike, but I don't think Mike is a bad person. Hopper sees bad in everyone - especially the boys that turn around his daughter. Mike made bad choices, sure, but he's not bad. He's a great kid inside.''

A smile formed on Jane's lips. Joyce was the first person to speak about Mike positively since she got back. At least one person would be on her side for Mike.

Jane frowned, wondering why Joyce brought up Mike so randomly. 

But, all of a sudden, she realized that perhaps her cover had been blown. Had she heard Mike? Did she see him leave at night? Did she think that something happened between the two of them? 

''Why are you talking about Mike? I never mentioned him...''

Joyce gave her a look, her motherly instincts kicking in. She didn't want her to feel like she was attacking her, she was just trying to help. ''I _know_ things, Jane. This is a old house and I hear when a window gets open at night and a boy sneak in.''

Panic rose in the pit of her stomach, shaking her head, blush creeping on her cheeks. ''It's not what you think!'' Jane urged, making Joyce chuckle.

''I'm not jumping to any conclusion. I'm just saying, next time you want to invite Mike over, use the front door, will you?''

''Are you going to tell Dad?'' Jane asked worriedly, mentally praying that Joyce would keep it a secret. Nothing had happened after all. Mike had just slept in her bed, platonically.

The woman smiled warmly. ''No.'' Jane sighed in relief but Joyce held her finger. ''But, don't think I'll always cover for you. This is a one time thing, understand?''

''Understand.''

There was a moment of silence before Joyce spoke up. ''You know, your dad isn't always right. He likes to think he is, but he's not. He also likes to think that he knows everything that's best for his daughter, but he doesn't. I'm not telling you to go against his rules and being a brat. Just, you have to live your life for yourself instead living it the way your dad wants you to. You have to make experiences and, that includes making mistakes and getting hurt.''

Jane pulled her eyebrows, teeth chewing on her bottom lip, suddenly wary. ''You think Mike will hurt me?''

''I hope not. This Wheeler boy has broken enough hearts in this family already...'' Joyce sighed sadly.

For a fraction of second, the teenage girl was surprised. Joyce _knew_ about Will's sexuality? Did Will tell her? She shook her head. Of course not. He could barely accept it, he would _never_ tell his mom.

Jane looked down, feeling bad for Will's unreciprocated feelings for Mike and Joyce gave her a tight lipped smile.

''Will hasn't said anything but I'm his mother, I see things. I've known for a few years that he had a thing for Mike. Just like I've known that Mike likes you in more than a friend way. You two have a different chemistry.''

Although she knew nothing could blossom between Will and Mike, Jane felt bad for having feelings for the latter and wanting to explore that direction. If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have cared, but Will was her step brother and she didn't want to push the knife deeper in his heart by dating Mike - not that they were there yet.

Jane pulled her knees to her chest. ''I don't want to hurt Will. I don't want to be the kind of sister who steal her sibling's crush.''

''It's nice of you to worry about Will's feelings, but I think he'll grow out of it and his heart will eventually heal. You can talk about it with him, if you'd like, see where he stand in this and what he thinks, but don't let Will's reaction play with your decision. Love and friendship and family are difficult things to manoeuver together.''

She couldn't be more right. All of Jane's friends were against her talking to Mike and so was her dad. Maybe getting close with Mike wasn't a good idea? What's the point being with someone who makes you happy if everyone around you makes you feel bad for it?

''Whatever you decide to do, this is _your_ decision.'' 

.

For the first time, Jane was invited to a party. Not a small gathering, a real house party to celebrate the end of summer vacation. The whole party was going and Jane was really excited. She had came over to Max's so they could get ready together and the redhead even did her hair. Max was great at hair, unlike Jane. She could do half-ups and ponytails, but don't ask her for braids!

She danced with Will for a moment, surprised by his skills before grabbing something to drink with Max. The strong taste of alcohol mixed with the cherry juice didn't taste too bad even if it made her grimace. Max laughed, drinking her cup without pulling a face.

At some point, Lucas stole Max from her to make out in a corner and Dustin was testing new flirting techniques - which weren't very effectives. Will had wandered god knows where, leaving Jane on her own in a house with people she didn't know.

Jane watched girls dance in the living area, grinding their flat asses against boys's fronts as if they were alone. Some were completely wasted and some were smoking pot right there in the middle of the kitchen, the strong skunk scent making the brunette scrunch her nose.

As much as she liked hanging out with her friends, house parties weren't her scene. She prefered going to the movies or even having a classic sleepover at Max's over attending a party like this.

She sighed, kicking her foot on the wooden floor of the living area, abandoning her almost full red cup on the table by the staircase before making her way upstairs, wandering around the hallways, figuring that adventuring out through the house would be a better use of time than just standing alone. 

She tried to look for Will but didn't succeed. Instead, she found herself wiggling door handles in order to find an empty room to escape this loud music. Most of them were locked, except for the last one of the left. Jane twisted the handle and walked in, only to be greeted with a person's annoyed groan.

''It's occupied! Get the fuck out!''

Jane should've been frightened by the loud and authoritative voice and left, but she didn't, the hint of familiarness in the voice forcing her to stay. It was the same voice that was mumbling to her a few nights prior.

''Mike? Is that you?'' 

Biting her lip, the teenage girl walked further into the dark room, trying to not trip over anything. It was a shame that the moon was too small to glow through the window tonight. It would've been useful.

A lamp was turned on, creating a dim ambiance, revealing Mike's mop of curly locks and round eyes. Mike furrowed his eyebrows, hearing Jane's voice close by. ''What are you doing here? I doubt Hopper would approve his daughter being surrounded by alcohol and drugs.''

''He doesn't know. He thinks I'm at Max's,'' Jane replied proudly.

Mike cocked an eyebrow, smirking. ''You're rebelling?''

She shook her head, a small smile forming. ''What are _you_ doing here? Shouldn't you be with your friends instead of hiding in a room in the dark?''

''I could ask you the same,'' Mike countered.

Jane sat on the edge of the bed where Mike was sitting, legs pulled to his knees, head resting against the headboard. He looked sad and distant. ''Parties aren't my thing. There's too much people, the music's too loud...and all my friends have ditched me.'' She stared at her lap, playing with the hem of her denim skirt.

''You can stay here, if you want. I'm not going to ditch you.'' Mike shrugged, looking away from Jane. ''I'm not feeling like mingling with others tonight,'' he added quietly.

He didn't need to say much for her to catch on that he wasn't feeling his usual self. Something was up and, even if Jane was burning to ask questions, she stayed quiet. If Mike wanted to tell her, he'd say.

''Why are you staying here if you don't want to see people? I don't understand...''

''Being alone at home feels worse than being alone at a party.''

Confused, she scooted closer to him. She didn't know about Mike's home situation nor home life, but she had a feeling that things were pretty shit if he couldn't bare being alone at home. ''You're not alone anymore.'' She reached for his hand, squeezing it and, by instinct, Mike's dark irises found Jane's, alleviating his heavy heart. 

Alas, the contact lasted only a few seconds before Mike pulled away, tearing his eyes from her. He couldn't let himself get too close to her. The feeling was far too comforting and he knew that he just couldn't be with her. Not with Hopper and his own friends being on his case all the time.

Mike cleared his throat. ''Look, Jane...I appreciate that you want to be there for me, I really do, but I'm too much to handle.''

''You're not.'' 

''I am. You'll get tired of my shit fast enough.''

''Why don't you let me judge that? Only _I_ know what's too much for me,'' she suggested, decidedly.

Her stubbornness and desire to help and be there for others were things Mike appreciated from his childhood friend. He was pleased to know that she hadn't changed.

Mike bit his lip, giving in.

During the past months, he had been so closed on himself that opening to anyone, even Jane, felt terrifying. It wasn't she that made him feel this way. On the contrary, she made everything easier to tell regardless how difficult and heavy what he was about to say was. 

''Today is Holly's death anniversary.''

Jane's breath caught in her throat, not expecting that. She knew the younger Wheeler girl had passed last summer, but not the exact date. Now, she felt so melancholic.

Mike kept his gaze down and pursued. ''She was annoying and always up in my business and spying on me, but I miss her. She was the one who was holding the family together, the one keeping our parents from divorcing. When she died, Mom got really depressed and Dad-'' He forced a laugh, thick with sarcasm. ''Dad, instead of helping her, decided to file for divorce because, according to him, she was _useless_. Ironic given those past ten years, _he_'s been the useless one. He was never doing shit at home, it was always Mom. She cooked, raised us, took care of us, and took me to all of my science fairs. All Dad ever did was sit in his armchair and watch tv after work.''

When they were kids, sometimes, Jane would stay over for dinner at the Wheelers. She remembered Mr. Wheeler, always eating quietly, not caring of the quarrels that went on at the table between Mike and Nancy. Beside occasional hummings and 'your mother is right', Ted rarely interacted with his family. 

''I didn't think the divorce would affect me the way it did. It was a difficult time for everyone. Nancy was away at college so I was the one forced to deal with Dad yelling at Mom like a mad-men, trying to force her out of bed. I tried to stand by Mom's side, yelling back at Dad in hope that he'd stop. He did, in the end, and left me alone with Mom. I took care of her the best I could, but it quickly became too much for me. 

Jane bit her lip and took a deep sigh, careful to not say something misplaced or badly worded. ''Have you... Did you ever talk to Nancy about any of this? I know she's in college, but it's her mom too. You shouldn't have to handle all of this on your own. You're only sixteen-''

''_Seventeen_,'' he corrected her.

''Still, you might think that you're all grown up and everything, but you're still a kid. You shouldn't be forced to adult responsibilities. Parents take care of kids, not the opposite. You should be focussing on school and getting to a good college and your future.''

Mike snorted. ''It's easy for you to say. You don't have a sick mother.'' 

Sometimes, Mike doesn't think before speaking and this was a good example. He should've thought this through because, he couldn't be more wrong. Jane _had_ had a sick mother, she just wasn't around anymore; she had succumbed to her sufferings long ago.

''I was really young when I lost my mom, but I remember her. I remember her being tied to her hospital bed by tons of wires and tubes, suffering days and nights despite all the drugs they would put her on. It was long and painful to watch and I don't wish this on anybody.'' Jane wiped at her eyes, feeling her vision fill with water at the thought of Terry. ''At least, your mom is alive. Mine isn't,'' she said, her voice cracking at the end.

Realizing his wrong, the older one apologized for his insensitivity. He should've remembered about Jane's mother's loss battle to cancer. Mike scooted down on the mattress, getting closer to the teary brunette. He hooked his chin on her shoulder from behind and she leaned against him.

In that moment, everything felt so different; she felt like they were back to their old selves. She felt like the old Mike was sitting in that room, the one who would sing along to rock songs and make her laugh until her stomach hurt as he imitated the singers or made blanket forts with her. There was almost a comforting feeling in their closeness and Jane knows that she has missed this so much over the past few years. Mike was so important to her, he held a big part in her life and, regardless of everyone's dislike for the boy, she was drawn to him.

Twisting her upper body, Jane nervously searched for Mike's eyes. She had been longing for this moment for a while and, finally, she grew the courage to cross the friendship boundary. Mike almost shied away for a second, he felt his heart beating fast in his chest. His eyes glanced down at the brunette's lips and closed the gap, kissing Jane softly. 

Mike's hand came up to her jaw, cupping it as Jane properly turned around so she could kiss him better. She slid her fingers into his curly hair, Mike's other hand coming to the dip of her waist, pulling her closer.

As they were lost in each other's embrace, the party on the other side of the door was forgotten and completely ignored, neither of them having the intention to return to their friends.

Mike abruptly pulled away, breaking the kiss, hearing something familiar. He had a grin on his lips which made Jane confused. ''This song. Oh my god, this song!'' She furrowed her eyebrows. ''You don't know it?'' he asked, a little bit too hyper for the mood.

She paid a close ear and rolled her eyes. Of course she knew Bryan Adams. _Everyone_ knew him. ''Of course, stupid!''

Just like that, the older one started performing his bad singing number, bringing a smile on Jane's lips. He moved his hands and Jane tried to stop him from singing by covering his mouth, being _really_ off key, but it did nothing.

Mike stopped after the chorus, smiling sadly, his boost of energy dying down. ''Only you can put a smile on my face on a day like this.''

Flattered, Jane smiled shyly, intertwining her fingers with Mike's. ''You're not alone anymore. I'm here,'' she said, bringing their hands close to her chest and laying her head on Mike's shoulder, feeling his curls tickling her face. 

**Author's Note:**

> Depending on the feedback, there MIGHT be a sequel...and a surprise third part...but, no promises


End file.
